How To Make Your Garage Look Better
You wanted an epoxy coating for your garage floor because the ad showed that your floor could have the feel of a showroom floor after you have applied the epoxy coat. You bought the product and applied it on your bare floor. Frustratingly, the results are not good and you blame the ad for misleading you. In fact, you should have prepped well before applying the coat ingso that it would turn out right. It is important that you set a good plan for this project with a schedule and materials.
Before anything else, you should consider the timing of when to do the application of epoxy coating. Choose the days when the weather is not rainy or cold so that the concrete is not damp. That’s why epoxy coating is often considered a summer project. Once you have scheduled the days, you can start cleaning and prepping your garage floor.
A garage floor should be cleaned very well and the concrete surface should be a little rough so the epoxy can strongly bond to the surface of the floor. Use a broom to sweep off from the floor all the dirt and dust. An old paintbrush can be used to sweep out the corners. If your garage floor has paint on it already, remove its gloss by using a light sanding pad. Then, sweep off the dirt. If you want to know if your floor is totally clean, you can use a strip of duct tape. Stick the strip and peel it away. If dust or particles are stuck on it, the floor needs another round of cleaning.
An oil or petroleum stain will have bad effects on the result of epoxy adhesion. To check if your garage floor has an oil stain, test for water beads by applying a very light coating of water. If beads are present, you may need the help of a degreaser. There are various kinds of degreaser on the market so be smart in choosing a good quality one. Put some degreaser on the surface where water beads appear and then scrub off the mixture using detergent and water. Test again for water beading and repeat the process if the beads are still present.
If your garage floor is bare or new or if you already had it covered with clear coat, etching the floor is the next step. Use a weak muriatic acid for this task. You should mix the muriatic acid and water by carefully following the instructions on how to use the product. It is also a good practice to use gloves, safety glasses and rubber boots. Once you are done putting on the mixture, rinse off the whole garage floor with water and wait for four hours to let the floor dry.
After cleaning the floor, you can move your attention to the epoxy solution. Prepare the top coat by mixing the hardener and resin. Make sure that the mixture blends well by continuously stirring it for the next three minutes. Then, put back the lid but let it be a little loose on the can where you have the mixture. Let it settle for 30 minutes and do not expose it to the sun. Before applying the epoxy, stir the mixture again for one minute and if you have anti-skid granules, add them now.
The next two hours is crucial because it’s the only allowed time for you to start applying the top coat. You can start applying the coat to the seams and corners by using a clean paintbrush. Then, use a nap roller when you apply the coat to the surface. With the roller, apply the coat in one direction first then in a perpendicular way on each new section because this way you can move forward while covering the entire floor. At first, the coating appears to be milky white but, once it dries, the color becomes clear.
It is important that you work quickly and that your garage is well ventilated while you apply the coating because the smell of the chemicals can irritate you. Applying an epoxy coat is like painting a floor, that’s why a nap roller can be used. For the seams and corners of the floor, it is recommended to use a paintbrush that has three-inch bristles. In either case, you want to apply two coatings, the first coat must be left to dry for 24 hours.
In case you want to add color flakes, you can achieve good results if you spread out the flakes after you paint each section and the coat is still wet. Lightly sprinkle the flakes until you get the grip on how to spread it out so that the color flakes are evenly distributed. The way you sprinkle grass seeds to the ground is how you should spread out the color flakes.
You need patience after you are done applying the epoxy coat. You have to wait for 24 hours for the coat to cure and you can walk on the surface. The floor also needs 72 hours before a car can drive on it to make sure that it is totally cured. The entire wait is worth it because you have the nice and clean epoxy coated garage floor. As promised by the epoxy coat manufacturer, you have a garage floor that looks and feels like a showroom floor and its all because of your hard work.
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